Thank you for your comment Catherine - we actually developed video clips that were purposely situated within the local schools in which our pre-service teachers would be placed (including mentors of our candidates). Each clip targeted a specific instructional practice, such as contextualizing science activity. We hope to be upload these clips along with tools for using them in the upcoming year. Here's the website to our larger research group with more info. 

https://teel.sites.ucsc.edu

Cheers,

Ed

Thanks for the comment Mac. 

We engaged in mixed method research. Our project is actually part of a larger research group that has done similar work for elementary science teacher preparation and elementary teacher preparation across math, science, and social studies. You can find more info about the elementary projects at https://teel.sites.ucsc.edu . The website also has some video clips and list of publications where we discuss instruments.  We developed an observation protocol aligned with our instructional framework to measure classroom practice (as well as method instructor practice). We also adapted an assessment from GEMS as a assessment of student learning outcomes and developed a reading/writing task for this SSTELLA project to assess student learning outcomes. We're in the process of publishing the validation of the observation protocol  - so we're holding off to make the actual instrument available to all until we publish. 

Thanks for the comment Mac. 

We engaged in mixed method research. Our project is actually part of a larger research group that has done similar work for elementary science teacher preparation and elementary teacher preparation across math, science, and social studies. You can find more info about the elementary projects at https://teel.sites.ucsc.edu . The website also has some video clips and list of publications where we discuss instruments.  We developed an observation protocol aligned with our instructional framework to measure classroom practice (as well as method instructor practice). We also adapted an assessment from GEMS as a assessment of student learning outcomes and developed a reading/writing task for this SSTELLA project to assess student learning outcomes. We're in the process of publishing the validation of the observation protocol  - so we're holding off to make the actual instrument available to all until we publish. 

Hi Susan,

Yes - we have focused clips for the 4 instructional practices. We are working to upload these specific clips with tools for discussing the videos this summer. In the meantime, we have developed the following website with a longer video focusing on language/literacy development that identifies key practices within it. 

https://sites.google.com/view/whiptaillizardcasestudy/home

Cheers,

Ed

That's a great question - something I would admit we don't have the perfect answer to, but from interviews from candidates at the start of the program, realize is also critical to teacher preparation. In the courses, we convey the message over and over again - that ELs ARE capable (and do engage in) complex thinking and that complex thinking, such as done by engaging in science practices is exactly what supports language development (when scaffolded and contextualized). Seeing it in action tends to work the best - when they watch videos or better observe in practice a mentor teaching the same content to a sheltered learning class and a mainstream class, and notice the critical and creative thinking of students that are still developing written or oral language proficiency (again, when given the supports, structures, and resources). So, seeing is believing. But we are open to ideas if you have any. 

Ha. The best I have is have an asset-based view of ALL kids and "show them the money"! When teachers see the pay off they think isn't there, it helps to change their minds. If I ever find the magic cure, I'll definitely share.

Thats a great question Peter. We haven't thought about researching the particular use of videos. Since we work across multiple states, candidates actually get to see videos from their own context as well as completely different contexts, and we discuss how what works for some students doesn't work for others. It also brings up assumptions and stereotypes (like if you live in Arizona, you "of course" have visited the grand canyon). I've been learning a lot thinking about parallels between math and science, especially in regard to ELs. From trying to develop a framework and observation instruction that works across math and science, it is "easier" to address the important of classroom talk and discourse. But I've have found it harder to address how to frame instruction in meaningful contexts. NGSS is so big into storylines - we can help science candidates develop a unit storyline that is connect to students' lived experiences and local/ecological context. However, math curriculum isn't set up to talk about these storylines as readily, so that's a harder connection to make for math. If teachers use math in support of exploring and explaining a phenomena - then there is greater chance for a connection. I haven't been as involved in our ELLISA project though, and Dr. Trish Stoddart (ELLISA Project PI) might have additional thoughts. 

Yes, absolutely! One of our research questions was around the relationship of science method instructor practices and teacher practice. We collaborated with science method instructors with a range of expertise in teaching ELs and pedagogical philosophies (and geographic contexts). We found that all were able to learn about and model the SSTELLA instructional practices in the method course (e.g., through demo lessons), although there was more variability in how the instructors promoted pedagogical development of the practices (some did more in the way of analyzing exemplar videos, unpacking readings and more metatalk around how practices would support ELs). We also learned about the importance of balancing between a core framework in which all instructors can agree to address in the method course AND allowing for adaptation to the particular institutional and geographic context. Through the work, we arrived upon the importance of helping pre-service teachers experience, analyze, and then approximate the practices being promoted (similar to work on high leverage, or core teaching practices)